Growth of the God Concept 

In the course of a discussion that Jesus was having with his apostles about the character of God, he enlarged his instruction about the concept of the Father in heaven, and how it evolved out of an older concept of God. He pointed out the following phases of the development of the doctrine of God:

Yahweh - the god of the Sinai clans. Yahweh was a primitive concept of God that Moses upstepped, making Yahweh the God of Israel. Jesus pointed out that no matter how primitive a person’s understanding of God is, the Father in heaven accepts their sincere worship and loyalty. Jesus further illuminated the concept of Yahweh, a deity for the Jewish race, by introducing the idea of God the Father, a Deity for the entire, worldwide brotherhood of mankind.

The Most High. Melchizedek clearly declared this concept to Abraham. The concept was brought away from Salem and lodged far and wide in subsequent years by Abraham and his brother. They left Ur to distance themselves from the practice of sun worship and they believed in Melchizedek's teaching about El Elyon – the Most High God. They blended some of their Mesopotamian ideas of God with Melchizedek’s Most High doctrine.

El Shaddai. Many early Hebrews also worshiped El Shaddai, an Egyptian idea of the God of heaven. They had learned of this concept during their days of captivity. Eventually, El Shaddai, The Most High, and Yahweh were combined and formed the doctrine of a deity of Creation: The Lord God of Israel.

Elohim. This concept of God encompasses the Trinity. The Jews thought of Elohim as the God of gods, and Jesus called this group “God.”

The Supreme Yahweh. Over time, all of these concepts of God evolved into an idea of a Universal Creator God who was all-powerful and all-merciful. Isaiah wrote of this God that replaced all former ideas in the Jewish religion. Jesus took this concept and transformed it into a Father-God for all individual believers. He taught that the Supreme Yahweh Creator God and his concept of Father-God were the same deity.

The Father in Heaven. Jesus’ teaching about God presents a religion that declares the believer as a son of God; it is the good news of Jesus’ gospel of the kingdom. Alongside God the Father are God the Son and God the Spirit: the holy Trinity. This revelation of the triune nature of God is one that has an unending capacity for enlargement and illumination for the ascending sons of God in the endless ages of the future. And no matter when or where a human being chooses to worship throughout the future, that worship is recognized through the indwelling spirit of God in each individual as honor and worship to the heavenly Father.

These revelations about the growth of the God concept were shocking to the apostles. But Jesus continued to teach them, giving examples of how the concept of God had evolved, citing from the book of Samuel, which states: “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, so much so that he moved David against them, saying, go number Israel and Judah.”

He contrasted this idea of God in Samuel who voiced his anger against Israel, to a later passage in 1 Chronicles, which speaks of the same event, but ascribes this directive to Satan: “And Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel.” This is because, by the time of the later Scripture, the concept of God had changed down the generations from the God who was angry at Israel into a situation where Satan – not God – stood against Israel.

Isaiah the Second was a remarkable prophet who proclaimed an advanced concept of God. Isaiah’s concept was superior to any previous man-made or man-like concept. He preached to the Israelites while they still were in captivity saying of God: “Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,” “And as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Jesus cited further enlargements of the God idea in the days of Isaiah when the Ten Commandments of old evolved into a new rule that directed mankind to love God supremely and love your neighbor as yourself. These injunctions are found in Deuteronomy and Leviticus.

Jesus concluded his lesson by saying: “And it is this supreme law of love for God and for man that I also declare to you as constituting the whole duty of man.”

Jesus of Nazareth taught the concept of God as a loving Father to all mortal beings, which he elevated into a sublime experience – an experience that we can all appreciate by studying his life. He emphasized that God is not a judge or bookkeeper, but a loving Father who desires a personal relationship with each individual.

Jesus' teachings about the Father in heaven greatly advanced the concept of a personal God. The perception of God's personality is essential for fellowship, worship, and trust. Only personalities can commune with each other, and the presence of the Indwelling Spirit can facilitate this personal communion when we allow ourselves to seek and heed its guidance.

The word "God" denotes the infinite concept of the Father, while the term "Father" represents the human concept of the divine Father as experienced during mortal existence. This new revelation of God is a departure from the old concept of God as a king-judge, and it has generally persisted since then, improving as time goes on. The idea of ransom and atonement is incompatible with this concept of God as a loving Father. “God loves not like a father, but as a father.” And this fatherly love is the primary feature of his divine nature.

Jesus saw God as holy, just, great, true, beautiful, and good – all of the attractive attributes of the Father which are our guidelines for seeking the "will of the Father in heaven." He urged his followers to strive to be perfect like God and to show the beginnings of a fatherly affection by loving others as God loves them.

In this modern age, believers should be mindful of developing a new and workable symbolism that encompasses the new concept of God as Father to all mankind, even to each individual. This new concept of God continues to expand our ideas, our idealism, and our loyalties.

This new concept includes the understanding of the universal and inclusive nature of God's love. Jesus taught that God is the loving and merciful Father of all individuals, regardless of their race, nationality, or social status. This concept encourages the recognition of the inherent worth and dignity of every human being, fostering unity and compassion among people.

Jesus taught that individuals can experience a personal and direct connection with God through the practice of prayer, worship, and spiritual communion. Understanding God as a living and evolving presence encourages an open-minded and progressive approach to spirituality. Living a life of love, service, and moral values helps individuals embody the teachings of Jesus and reflect the character of God.

By demonstrating kindness, forgiveness, and compassion, individuals can actively contribute to the realization of God's kingdom on earth.